Golf club handgrip



May 24, 1966 N. RosAsco, SR 3,252,705

GOLF CLUB HANDGRIP Filed oct. 22, 1962 tioned in abutment with the palm of the golfer.

United States Patent O 3,252,706 GOLF CLUB HANDGRIP Nat Rosasco, Sr., 1758 N. Normandy Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Oct. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 232,100 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-81.@

The present invention relates generally to the construction of clubs for playing the game of golf, and more particularly to an improved construction for the handle or grip of a golf club.

Conventional present day golf clubs are constructed with a hollow steel shaft, and a club head is mounted at one end of the shaft 'and a grip or handle mounted on the opposite end of the shaft. Conventionally the grip is constructed with a paper filler in the form of an elongated strip which is wound about the shaft and a layer of leather which is also in the form of an elongated strip wound about the filler. The open end of the steel shaft is closed by a plug, and a ferrule is disposed about the end of the leather layer opposite the plug. Such a construction is generally shown in Patent No. 1,943,399 to Smith.

Golf club handles constructed in this manner are considered by most golfers entirely satisfactory. Such handles are relatively expensive to manufacture, however, since both the paper filler and leather layer must be carefully wound about the shaft and cemented in place, and the cap must also be cemented into place. Further, such golf club grips often require repair, particularly as a result of the cap becoming loose from the shaft.

Another -type of golf club grip is disclosed in P-atent No. 2,468,202 to Karns. In the construction disclosed in this patent, a compliant sleeve of rubber is disposed over the end of the steel shaft of the club and secured into place. This construction eliminates the need for the paper ller and also the leather layer, but it does not provide the same feel to the golfer as the conventional club grip.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club with a grip or h-andle which is less expensive to manufacture than conventional club grips or handles and which provides the golfer with essentially the same feel as conventional grips.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf club with a grip employing a cap positioned over the end of a steel shaft which provides essentially the same feel to the golfer as conventional club grips which employ plugs which extend into the open end of the steel shaft.

Many golfers occasionally fail to hold their clubs in the proper manner resulting in a bad shot, usually a hook or a slice. For this reason, clubs have been provided with grips having a flattened side which is adapted to be posi- Such clubs have been relatively expensive to manufacture since the filler is ground during the manufacturing process to provide a flat surface at the proper angle in relation to -the club head. It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club grip having a flat side which is less expensive to manufacture and more durable.

These and further objects of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a further consideration of this disclosure, particularly when viewed in the light of the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a sectional View of the grip or handle of a golf club constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the golf club illustrated in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE l; and

3,252,706 Patented May 24, 1966 FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the golf club cap illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

As illustrated in the figures, the golf club grip or handle is mounted on a steel shaft 10 which is tubular in shape and may be graduated in diameter from a minimum adjacent to the head of the club to a maximum at the end opposite the head designated 12. The interior of the shaft 10 is hollow, and a cap 14 extends over the end 12 of the shaft 10. The cap 14 has a tubul-ar portion 16 which extends from a head 18. The tubular portion 16 has a cylindrical inner surface 20 `which is snugly disposed about the exterior cylindrical surface of the shaft 10. A layer of cement, not shown, is utilized to mount the cylindrical surface 20 of the cap 14 on the shaft 10. The tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 has an exterior surface 22 which tapers inwardly from the head 18 of the cap 14. The cap 14 also has a flange 24 which extends outwardly from the head 18 beyond the exterior surface 22 of the tubular portion 16.

The tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 extends down the shaft 19 a relatively short distance, and a ller 26 in the form of a long strip of material lselected to give the proper feel to the club handle is wound about the shaft 10. The end of the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 `abutting the filler is designated 28, and it is to be noted that the thickness of the filler 26 at this region is greater than the thickness of the filler at its end opposite the cap, designated 30, and also that the filler has approximately the same thickness at the end 2S of the tubular portion of the cap as the tubular portion itself in this region. As la result, the exterior surface 22 of the cap 14 and the exterior surface, designated 32, of the filler 26 form a continuous smooth surface tapering inwardly from the head 18 of the cap 14 with two exceptions to be noted hereinafter. A layer 34 of a second material selected to provide the proper feel for the golf club is disposed on this smooth surface formed by the exterior surface 32 of the filler 26 and the exterior surface 22 of the cap 14. This layer 34 is also formed by an elongated strip of material which is wound about the cap 14 and filler 26 as will be described hereinafter.

The end of the layer 34 opposite the cap 14 extends beyond the end of the ller 26 and comes into abutment with the exterior cylindrical surface of the shaft 10. This end, designated 36 is secured in position by a ferrule 38 in the shape of-a truncated cone which has its small diameter snugly disposed about the shaft and its larger diameter snugly disposed about the end 36 of the layer 34.

One of the exceptions to the smooth tapering surface formed Iby the exterior surface 22 of the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 and the exterior surface 32 of the filler 26 is a groove 40 disposed in a portion of the exterior surface 22 lof the tubular portion 16 adjacent to the head 18 of the cap 14. The groove 40 is best illustrated in FIGURES l, 3 and 5 and encompasses approximately a degree arc. The groove 40 has an end wall 42 which extends from the flange 24 of the head 18 along a plane passing through the axis of the shaft 1li. The groove 4'0 extends with a depth -approximately equal to the thickness of the layer 34 throughout an 4arc of approximately 135 degrees, and thereafter tapers to a more shallow depth, as indicated in FIGURE 3. Also, the groove 40 has one edge coinciding with the flange 24, and the opposite edge tapers away from the flange from the end 42. The purpose of the groove 4t! is to accommodate a narrow end 44 of an elongated strip which is wound about the filler 26 to form the layer 34. The end 44 of the strip is disposed in abutment with the end 42 of the groove 40, and the strip widens to its full width at a distance equal to one turn about the tubular portion 16. As indicated in FIG- URE 3, there is an overlapping of the first turn of the layer 34, the overlapped turn being designated 46, and the strip thereafter is wound down the surface of the filler 26 to complete the layer 34.

It is preferable to employ a steel shaft 10, and the degree of spring or resilience of the shaft is carefully controlled. The filler 26 is preferably of paper `and is cemented to the shaft 10 by a layer of cement 48. The cap 14 is preferably of hard rubber, although it may be constructed of plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride, and the layer of cement 48 extends to the region -between the shaft 10 and the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14. The layer 34 is preferably formed `by a strip of leather, although other materials may also be used. The use of a layer 34 of leather and a filler 26 of paper achieves essentially the same feel for the golfer as conventional constructions, since these materials are used in approximately the same proportion in conventional clubs. It is `also to be noted that the filler 26 is thinner in the region adjacent to the ferrule 38 than it is in the region of the cap 14 in order to provide the desired taper to the grip.

Conventional golf clubs are available with circular tapering handles -or grips and with grips having a flattened side. In like manner, the inventors construction may be utilized for a circular tapering grip or a grip having a flat side. If a circular tapering grip is desired, the exterior surface 22 of the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 is in the form of a slightly tapering truncated cone. If a flattened side grip is desired, one side of the tubular portion 16 is provided with a flat wall 50, as illustrated in FIG- URE 3, and the cap 14 has a head 18 which also has a straight edge 52 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. In this construction, the layer 34 is wound about the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 in abutment with the flat wall 50 thereof to form a flattened side. As illustrated by the dashed lines of FIGURE 1 designated 54, the edges of the flattened side taper inwardly in a direction away from the head 1S of the cap 14 because of the taper of the exterior surface 22, although it is to be understood that the wall 50 is parallel to the axis of the shaft 10. The wall 50 extends the entire length of the tubular portion 16 of the cap, and forms the entire flattened side on the grip of the club, the filler 26 being in the form of a slightly tapering truncated cone.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the flattened side and straight edge 50 and 52 of the cap 14 are at an abtuse angle to the leading edge 56 of the club head 5S. Meas- -ured in a clockwise direction, this angle is illustrated as approximately 150 degrees, although it is to be understood that this angle may vary to accommodate different club lengths utilized with different pitches, and the like.

The flat surface of the layer 34 formed by the flattened side f) of the cap 14 is designed to lie in abutment with the flat portion of the thumb, that is, the portion of the thumb immediately adjacent to the palm of the hand of the golfer, and in this manner controls the angular position of the leading edge 56 of the club head 58 with respect to the hand of the golfer. For this reason, the wall 59 should extend from the second joint of the thumb of the golfer to the golfers wrist, approximately, and it has been found that this distance is approximately two inches. The tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 should therefore be no less than two inches in length. It is further desirable that the tubular portion 16 be as short as possible, since the feel afforded to the golfer in the region of the tubular portion is different than the feel afforded to the golfer in regions where the filler 26 is disposed between the layer 34 and the shaft 10. The tubular portion 16 has been -found to preferably extend from the head of the cap between two and three inches to provide a flattened side of maximum usefulness and minimize the change in feel afforded by use of a rubber cap. If a flattened side is not to be employed, the cap 14 may be even shorter. In one particular construction of a golf club according to the teachings of the present invention where the flattened wall 50 was not employed, that is, where the exterior surface 22 of the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 is in the form of a slightly tapering truncated cone, the length of the tubular portion 16 measured from the flange to the end 28 is approximately one and five-eighths inches. Also in a construction of a golf -club according to the present invention where the wall is employed, the length of the tubular portion from the flange 24 to the end 28 is approximately two and onefourth inches.

It will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure, that the inventor has provided a grip on a golf club which has substantially the same feel that can be provided with a conventional golf `club employing a plug at the end of the shaft, but that the inventor has provided this feel utilizing a less expensive construction employing a cap fitting over the end Vof the golf club shaft. Further, the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 extends well down the shaft 16 and is securely bound in position by the layer 34 formed by a wrapping of leather so that the cap 14 is not maintained in postiion solely by virtue of cement, as is the case of a plug inserted into the end of the shaft of a conventional club. Changes in temperature, in Weather conditions, affect the metal of the shaft 10 differently tha-n the material of a plug, or a cap, hence tending to break the cement which binds the shaft to the cap or plug. However, in the inventors construction the binding attraction of the cement provided between the tubular portion 16 of the cap 14 and the shaft 10 is reinforced by the compressive force of the winding of leather which forms the layer 34 on the exterior surface of the tubular portion of the cap.

Those skilled in the art will readily devise many modifications of the present invention and utilities for the present invention beyond that here disclosed. It is therefore intended that the scope of this invention be not limited by the foregoing disclosure, but rather only by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a golf club having a tubular shaft, a golf club head mounted on one end of the shaft, and a handle mounted on the other end of the shaft, the handle comprising a cap hav-ing a head having a surface disposed in abutment with the end of the shaft and a tubular portion extending from said surface of the cap head between two and three inches and snugly disposed about the shaft, said tubular portion being anchored on the shaft and securing the cap thereto, said tubular portion having a flat wall disposed approximately parallel to the axis of the shaft, a llller mounted on the shaft having one end in abutment with the end of the tubular portion of the cap, the exterior surface of the tubular portion and the exterior surface of the flller forming a single smooth surface, and a layer disposed on said smooth surface about the tubular portion of the cap and the filler.

2. In a golf club having a hollow tubular shaft, a golf club head mounted on one end of the shaft, and a handle mounted on the other end of the shaft, the handle comprising a cap having a head means mounting the cap on the shaft with the head in abutment with the end of the shaft including a tubular portion extending from the cap head a distance between two and three inches and snugly disposed about the shaft, said tubular portion being cemented on the shaft, the head having a flange extending outwardly beyond the exterior surface of the tubular portion, the exterior surface of said tubular portion having a flat portion disposed approximately parallel to the axis of the shaft and a part conical portion extending from the flat portion and tapering inwardly from the head of the cap, and the head of the cap having a straight edge on the flange thereof parallel to the flat portion, a filler mounted on the shaft having one end in abutment with the end of the tubular portion of the head, said filler comprising an elongated strip of paper wound about the shaft and cemented thereto, the exterior surface of the tubular portion of the cap and the exterior surface of the ller forming a single smooth surface, la layer disposed on said smooth surface about the tubular portion of the cap and the filler, said layer comprising an elongated strip of leather Wound about the tubular portion of the cap and the filler and cemented thereto, yand a ferrule in the form of a truncated cone disposed 'about the shaft having its small end in abutment with the shaft and its larger end disposed about the end of the layer.

3. A vgolf club comprising the elements of claim 2 wherein the tubular portion is provided with a groove on the side thereof opposite the flat portion and adjacent to the cap head, the end of the strip of leather forming the layer being disposed Within the groove, and the layer having ran overlapped turn including the portion of the layer strip disposed within the groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Palmer 273-81 X Link 273-81 Hamel et al. 273-81 Harness 273-81 Barrett 273-81 Menzies 2713-81 Goodwin 273-81.6 Prendergast 273-816 Turner 273-81 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

15 G. I. MARLO, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN A GOLF CLUB HAVING A TUBULAR SHAFT, A GOLF CLUB HEAD MOUNTED ON ONE END OF THE SHAFT, AND A HANDLE MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF THE SHAFT, THE HANDLE COMPRISING A CAP HAVING A HEAD HAVING A SURFACE DISPOSED IN ABUTMENT WITH THE END OF THE SHAFT AND A TUBULAR PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID SURFACE OF THE CAP HEAD BETWEEN TWO AND THREE INCHES AND SNUGLY DISPOSED ABOUT THE SHAFT, SAID TUBULAR PORTION BEING ANCHORED ON THE SHAFT AND SECURING THE CAP THERETO, SAID TUBULAR PORTION HAVING A FLAT WALL DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE SHAFT, A FILLER MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT HAVING ONE END IN ABUTMENT WITH THE END OF THE TUBULAR PORTION OF THE CAP, THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE TUBULAR PORTION AND THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE FILLER FORMING A SINGLE SMOOTH SURFACE, AND A LAYER DISPOSED ON SAID SMOOTH SURFACE ABOUT THE TUBULAR PORTION OF THE CAP AND THE FILLER. 